Improvement in pneumatic-pressure water-elevators



2 Sheets-Sheet l. A. H.- KNAPP. Pneumatic Pressure Water-Elevator.

No. 220,293. Patented Oct. 7,1879.

N. PETERS, F'HOTO-UTHOGRAFHER, wASmNGTON. D C

- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. H. KNAPP.

Pneumatic Pressure Water-Elevator.

No. 220,293. Patented Oct. 7,1879.

Wife/e a we 0" 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIoE.

A. HAYDN KNAPP, (F. LOUISA KNAPP, ADMlNISTRATRIX,) OF BOSTON,

' MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN PNEUMATIC- PRESSURE WATER-ELEVATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 220,293, dated October7, 1879 application filed August 27, 1878.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, A. HAYDN KNAPP, of

, Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of also an air-condenserand a compressed-air reservoir for producing the pneumatic pressure,Fig. 2, a top view of the same, the airreservoir being in horizontalsection; Fig. 3, a central vertical section of the lower part of a wellor cistern and side elevation of the waterpressure fountain or reservoirsituated therein; Fig. 4, a section showing a modified construction ofthe valve-operating device.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all of the figures. Thepurpose of my invention is to produce an apparatus for automaticallyraising water from a well or cistern by the employment'of air orequivalent aeriform fluid previously compressed in a suitable reservoir,the said compressed air acting upon the surfaceof a limited quantity ofwater confined in a close reservoir or fountain in the well or cisternto elevate the water to the place of drawing, and also to so arrangethis pneumatic-pressure water-elevating apparatus that whenever desiredthe water may be all raised fresh and cool. from the well or cistern atthe time.

For the compressed-air reservoir I employ a close vessel, A, of anysuitable form and construction,'of sheetiron or other proper material,.of sufficient strength to withstand the required pressure therein. Itssize is to be sufficient for raisin g the quantity of water to be used,so that it shall not require to be refilled with air inconvenientlyoftensay not oftener than once a day, or for a longer time, ifpreferred. It is to be located in any convenient position, consideringboth the filling of it with air and its proper proximity to the Well orcistern, as well as the room it is to occupy.

;For compressin g air in this reservoir, a condensin g air-pump, B, orits equivalent, is used. I have shown a hand-condenser of the simplestconstruction, connected by a pipe or passage, or, with the reservoir,there being a checkvalve, b, in the reservoir, to provide againstleakage thereby.

If it is desired to use wind or other power for pumping the air into theair-reservoir, I contemplate having the condensing-pump connected withthe wind-wheel or shaft or other driving part of the power, whatever itmay be, by a suitable crank and connecting-rod, or their equivalent; andit is best then to have the pump also arranged to operate by hand, or tohave a separate hand-pump, if at any time the wind or other power shouldfail.

For the practical uses of this invention I find it generally best toprovide this compressedair reservoir with two compartments, 0 and D,each entirely close and distinct from the other, but having anintercommunicatin g pipe or passage, E, controlled by a valve orstopcock, d. The main compartment 0 firstreceives the air pumped intothe reservoir, and is ordinarily to be much the larger in size tocontain the principal supply of air in store. The smaller compartment Dis supplied from the compartment 0 through the said pipe E, and itselfdirectly supplies the water-reservoir in the well or cistern.

The water-reservoir or fountain F is located in the well or cistern G,and is so situated therein as to be nearly or quite immersed in thewater thereof. It is closed air-tight, but has an opening'covered by aninwardly-opening valve, 6, which, when there is no pressure of airinside, allows the water around the reservoir to flow therein, and shutsagainst the escape of water therefrom. The upper part of this reservoircommunicates, by a pipe, II, with the compartment D of theair-reservoir, and its lower part communicates, by a discharge pipe, I,with the water-drawing faucet g at the sink K or place of drawing thewater.

The compressed air from the compartment D of the air-reservoir passesthrough the pipe H, and produces a sufficient pressure on the surface ofthe water in the water-reservoir to force the water therefrom up throughthe pipe I I when the faucet .g is opened.

For properly controlling the flow of the air and water in the apparatus,not only is a pccu-liar arrangement of stop-cocks and faucets provided,but an air-escape pipe, L, is employed, communicating with theair-conveying pipe H near the sink or water-drawing place, as shown inthe drawings; or it may communicate directly with the water-reservoir F,though this is somewhat more expensive in construction. This surplus-airdischarge-pipe is provided with a stop-cock or closing-valve, i, and theair-conveying pipe H is also provided with a stop-cock or closing-valve,h. These two valves and the valve d, which closes the pipe E, connectingthe two compartments (3 D of the air-reservoir, together with thewaterdrawing faucet g, are connected together, so as to be turnedsimultaneously, the valves 9 h i being required to be opened and closedall at the same time, and the valve d to be closed when the other threeare opened, and vice -versa. This arrangement produces the followingeffects: Upon opening the faucet g to draw water the valve d is closed,thus shutting ofl" the main compartment (J and retaining therein thegreater part of the compressed air, while the air in the compartment 1)is allowed to flow freely to the water-reservoir, the valve in the pipeH being then open,and the pressure of this air on the water raises itthrough the pipe I, to be discharged at the said faucet g. The capacityof the compartment D, with the ordinary compression of the air therein,is sufficient to raise as much water-for instance, two gallons-asordinarily may be wanted at one time. If more is wanted at any time, thefaucet g is simply closed, and by the same act the valve 01 is opened,thus allowing another supply of compressed air to flow from thecompartment G to the compartment D, when, on again opening the faucet 9,more water will be raised and discharged; and this may be repeated asmany times as desired. But if only a small quantity of water is requiredat one time, and it is desired that the water-discharge pipe shall beemptied and the water all remain fresh and cool in the water-reservoiror cistern, and especially when the water-reservoir is to be replenishedfrom the cistern, then the extra or air-discharge pipe is brought intoaction. Not only is this pipe provided with the valve 1', opening andclosing with the valve h and faucet g, but it has another stop-cock orvalve, 1, to be operated by hand, as the case may require. Thus, if noair is to be let off, and the full amount of water is to be drawn at anytime that the air will raise, this separate valve is to be kept closedbut if only a small quantity of water is desired, and the water in thepipe is to be allowed to run back into the water-reservoir, the saidseparate valve is to be opened after the required quantity of water isdrawn and while the faucet is still open. The air in the water-reservoircompartment D and intermediate air-pipes in excess of the atmosphericpressure outside will escape through the said extra pipe, and alsoenough to allow room for the water returning from the waterdischargepipe, and forrefilling the waterreservoir from the well or cistern, ifthe valve 1 is left open long enough. This valve is then to be closed.

In order to operate the valves d g h z simultaneously, I haverepresented in the main figures of the drawings a set ofconnecting-gear, m n o p, on the respective shafts or plugs thereof, sothat on turning the faucet-valve g by its handle or stem 1*, all will beactuated at the same time therewith. The positions of the several valvesare here such as to allow this connecting-gear.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4 a somewhat cheaper and more compactconstruction is shown, effecting the same result. A single plug orbarrel, M, turns in a case or shell, N. This plug has fourvalve-holes,dgh z, the three latter all in the same direction, so as toopen and close all at the same time,.and the other one, d, being atright angles thereto,-so as to open when the others close, and viceversa, the plug being turned by a handle a. The shell N has openings onopposite s es communicatin g with the openings in the plug, and at theseopenings the several pipes E H I L are coupled to the shell.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1 In a pneumatic-pressure water-raisin g apparatus, the combination of acompressed-air reservoir, a close water-reservoir receiving theair-pressure on the surface of the water therein, a cut-oif valve in thepipe or passage between the two reservoirs, a cut-off valve in theaireseape pipe or passage leading from the waterreservoir, and a faucetat the termination of the water-discharge pipe or passage, the saidfaucet and cutoff valves being operatedsimultaneously on opening andclosing the faucet, substantially as herein specified.

2. In a pneumatic-pressurewater-raisin g apparatus, a pneumatic-pressurereservoir constructed with two compartments, one first receiving andholding the air or other aeriform fluid, and the other supplying the airdirect to the water-reservoir, the two. compartments being connected bya pipe or passage controlled by a valve which shuts off the firstcompartment when the second .is supplying air to the water-reservoir,substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

3. In a pneumatic-pressure water-elevating apparatus, an air-escape pipeor passage, L, provided with two valves,i andl, one operatedsimultaneously with the faucet and the other separately, substantiallyas and for the purpose lierein specified.

4. In a pneumatic-pressure water-raising apparatus, an air-dischargepipe or passage, L, provided with a valve, '5, operating simultaneouslywith the water-discharging faucet g and valve h of the air-supplyingpipe H, substalntially as and for the purpose herein speci- 5. In apneumatiepressure water raising apparatus,aseries of valves orstop-cocks,dghi, water-elevating pipe or passage, and stopopening and.closing the several air and water valves in the said pipes or passages,substanpipes or passages E H I L, arrange(1 to be optially as and forthe purpose herein specified.

erated simultaneously, substantially as and for Specification signed byme this 8th day of the purpose herein specified. August, 1878.

6. In a pneumatic-pressure water-raising ap- I A. H. KNAPP. paratus, thecombination of a compressed-air Witnesses: reservoir, a water-reservoirreceiving the com- F. M. KILBEY, pressed air, a connecting pipe orpassage, a H. W. KITTREDGE.

